Thursday, March 4, 2010

Restless tonight (to borrow from Alison Krauss)

Tonight, a group of us were chatting over coffee, when one of us asked, "what are your main values"? This is a somewhat vague question, so we asked her to clarify. Essentially, she was asking us what, beyond devoting our lives to serving Christ and spreading the Gospel, we wanted out of life. What did we desire and value most? It's a thought provoking question, to say the least. My answer centered around two, somewhat related, things.

The first was a desire to help people better understand the world and communicate effectively. God has given me an ability to read, analyze and comprehend; I love helping other people verbalize their thoughts and comprehend texts. Seeing that spark of recognition and joy that comes when someone understands truth they've been struggling to grasp excites me. I love challenging people to use their God-given minds and expand their horizons.

The second is perhaps more selfish (and mildly creepy?): I genuinely enjoy getting to know people because I love the diversity of personality that God has created. I could happily spend the rest of my life hearing everyone's backgrounds and stories, getting to know the intricacies and eccentricities of seemingly ordinary existences. People fascinate me and I love encouraging them to relish in the unique and masterful way they've been designed rather than lamenting what qualities and attributes they may or may not possess.

So what exactly do I value? I'm not sure how to go about naming it, but I'll try: Simply put, I value Truth and individuality. What should I do to make sure those values are reflected in my life? Whatever God calls me to do. If I truly value them, it will be evident...more than that, they will happen, inevitably.

On a different, but relevant note, drinking coffee in the evenings prompts random, late night posts.